The Right Shoes for Bunions

Posted by DAVID LEBLANC on Oct 30, 2017

Bunions are a painful condition that can interfere with your quality of life—if every step causes pain or discomfort, it’s easy to see why your daily activities could be strictly limited by these painful bumps. Those who are athletic or spend a lot of time on their feet will feel the negative impact of bunions even more. Thankfully there is a variety of shoes for bunions and inserts that help deal with the problem, but first it’s important to understand what exactly bunions are.

Bunions are painful, bony bumps that develop on the inside edge of the foot, near the base of the big toe. They are formed when the big toe pushes inward toward the next toe, which places pressure on the base joint of the big toe and causes it to enlarge and protrude from the foot. They are often caused by genetics, but orthopedists also believe that wearing tight, narrow shoes that constrict the toes can cause them—this could be why they’re more common in women.

More important than the causes of bunions, however, are the effects they have on those who suffer from them. Normal acts like walking up a flight of stairs or taking a run on a treadmill can be very painful, which can severely limit the activity of a person with bunions. Although bunions can be caused by wearing certain shoes, they can also be helped by wearing specific shoes for bunions. These specially-made shoes usually have extra arch support to position the foot correctly and reduce pressure on the bunion, softer interiors which are less abrasive to the bunion, and extra depth which allows the foot to move more freely. Since bunions often affect women, there is thankfully a wide variety of specialty shoes for bunions which means you don’t have to sacrifice style for comfort.

If you’ve experienced the pain of bunions, you know how much the right shoe can make a difference in your quality of life. Consider visiting Greenwood Shoes, a shoe store in Lafayette LA, which offers specialty products such as shoes for bunions in a community-focused atmosphere.